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A ‘Future Proof’ New Medical Center in Mountain Village

November 7, 2014 (TELLURIDE) — After years of negotiations, vetting, evaluations, elections and occasional controversy, the Telluride Hospital District (THD) announced Friday the future site for a new regional medical center will be in Mountain Village.

The course of identifying a new location for the Telluride Medical Center (TMC) began in 2006 when THD representatives began actively pursuing options for a new facility.
This past March THD issued a formal Request for Information to five regional landowners–the RV lot in the Town of Telluride, two separate lots in Lawson Hill and two separate lots in Mountain Village–and their corresponding private and governmental jurisdictions.

After a June deadline, site proposals were summarized and presented to a group chosen to represent unbiased voices from the community, specifically those with experience in architecture, engineering and construction to evaluate submissions and provide feedback on site suitability, cost, fundraising, future growth and risk.

Upon the recommendation of that group, THD announced last month they would move forward with site negotiations with only the town of Mountain Village regarding the town hall site and the Lawson Hill Property Owners Company’s lots H and I.

As part of Friday’s announcement to move forward with a facility in Mountain Village, THD made known intentions to negotiate for a one-year option on the Lawson Hill property as a contingency plan.

Presently, TMC is a 10,000 square foot remodeled residential building built in 1978 on land that THD does not own. The codes to which the current facility was built to are outdated. According to TMC administration, to bring the building to code, the facility would require expansion to approximately 17,000 sf., without any added patient care capacity or an eye for future growth.

In choosing a new location for a regional medical center THD board members rated sites on suitability for building and construction costs, total facility cost to the community, availability of funding mechanisms, potential for future growth, convenient access to primary care and carbon footprint in building design.

The THD board also considered public input and independent recommendations from a Community Advisory Committee and Frauenshuh Consulting, a medical site selection-consulting firm.

The final decision was announced at a regularly scheduled THD board meeting on Friday.

“This has been a methodical eight year process, but after all the public meetings, consultants and internal debate, I feel the best decision for the district as a whole has been made,” said Gordon Reichard, TMC executive director.
“Choosing between Mountain Village and Lawson Hill has been difficult. Both sites have advantages and both stakeholders would make great partners for our district going forward,” said Larry Mallard, THD chairperson.

Mallard is one of five board members who voted on Friday to make the decision official. The vote was unanimously in favor of the Mountain Village site.

Several significant factors were detailed in the THD board meeting explaining the decision including a preference to keep the facility on the gondola line, proximity to the ski resort and mountain bike course, the existing parking structure adjacent to the Mountain Village site that would double as a helicopter landing pad, the land deal presented by the town of Mountain Village and the ability to expand the facility for future growth.

“I like that Lawson Hill is closer for the down valley and mesa residents but at the end of the day most all our patients would have to get into a vehicle and drive to that site,” said Mallard.

The most compelling advantage to the Mountain Village package is the land deal and expansion capability. The Town Hall site is free to THD and came by way of unanimous support from the Mountain Village Town Council. THD will also be granted the option to expand the facility up to 25,000 additional feet to accommodate future growth.

“Future residents will not be faced with finding another location in 25 years,” said Mallard. “This Mountain Village parcel allows us to future proof the facility as best we can.”

THD’s next step towards a new facility will include negotiating details of the land transaction and selecting partners to see the designing, building and fundraising for a new facility through to fruition.

“We hope to put together a group similar to our Community Advisory Council made up of residents and interested parties experienced in development and fundraising” said Mallard.

Luckily Telluride has a reserve of intellectual capital and being able to tap into that gives us the best chance of success.”

Mike Shimkonis

After growing up surfing in Florida, Mike Shimkonis decided to give higher ground a try and settled in Colorado over 25 years ago, first in Vail, then moving to Telluride in 1993. Prior to working with Telluride Properties, he was a senior sales and marketing executive for the Vail and Telluride ski companies.